GPS - Is a navigator a worthwhile buy?

nairrk · 27th August 2010, 11:10

VX140 is very nice and good. I have been using this for more than 6 months and its useful when we go some place where the exact route finding is a problem!

shankar.balan · 27th August 2010, 12:44

i bought a Garmin Nuvi 205W (4.3 inch touchscreen) for about 7000 on holiday abroad recently
coming back here i got the MapMyIndia maps of INdia which are compatible to this device. this cost another 7K.

Had I bought the MapMyIndia Navigator (3.5 inch touchscreen) here it would have cost 7-8K. and then loading Europe and US maps would be another 6-7K.
Comes to much the same thing but Im happier for a larger screen size.

Abroad the SatNav works very well indeed. Lovely to drive around without having to manage large scale maps in the car. But in India owing to our ever changing and inconsistent cityscapes and landscapes, sat nav maps seem to get out of date almost as soon as they come out into the market!

NetfreakBombay · 27th August 2010, 23:04

Yes, GPS maps are not accurate at this point. However, they have coma long way in last couple of years. With global players (E.g. Navteq) opening shop in India we should have good maps for highways in a year or two.

Ravich · 29th August 2010, 17:20

If any of you plan to drive in Europe especially UK , TomTom seems like a very good choice. Bought this yesterday for driving around in and around Cambridge, for 159 GBP . Very easy to use and precise. The speed camera alerts are very useful too.
A comparably priced Garmin , in the shop comparison test , would not recognize my address in Cambridge while the TomTom brought it up instantly in a drop down list.
While this may not be a good test, it met my needs and the TomTom has proved to be very accurate in driving around here.

NetfreakBombay · 29th August 2010, 19:56

I used Tomtom in one of the rental cars and its indeed pretty good. Only downside is, if you plan to bring it back to India. Its tough to find Indian maps for it.

shankar.balan · 1st September 2010, 11:18

Ravich - yes I agree TomTom is superb indeed. It is easily the best there is as of now - at least in the UK and Europe. Unfortunately we dont have India maps compatible with TomTom yet.
My experience with Garmin was that I was able to find the addresses very easily in the UK. This could have been on account of the excellent post code mapping system that they have.

sgiitk · 1st September 2010, 12:24

There is a huge overlap with SatNav Vs Mapmyindia . Maybe the mods can consider merging the two.

NetfreakBombay · 1st September 2010, 17:54

It would be better to create a "GPS" sub-category in Parts And Accessories section and move all these threads there.

dhanushmenon · 15th May 2011, 18:57

very true. I join hands with NetfreakBombay. A dedicated sub category will help a lot of enthusiasts who are running helter skelter doing searches in the broader spectrum of things. Hope Moderators will do the needful. Cheers

27th August 2010, 11:10	#31
nairrk Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Kannur Posts: 2,441 Thanked: 676 Times View My Garage	VX140 is very nice and good. I have been using this for more than 6 months and its useful when we go some place where the exact route finding is a problem!
	() Thanks

27th August 2010, 12:44	#32
shankar.balan Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 11,407 Thanked: 23,723 Times View My Garage	i bought a Garmin Nuvi 205W (4.3 inch touchscreen) for about 7000 on holiday abroad recently coming back here i got the MapMyIndia maps of INdia which are compatible to this device. this cost another 7K. Had I bought the MapMyIndia Navigator (3.5 inch touchscreen) here it would have cost 7-8K. and then loading Europe and US maps would be another 6-7K. Comes to much the same thing but Im happier for a larger screen size. Abroad the SatNav works very well indeed. Lovely to drive around without having to manage large scale maps in the car. But in India owing to our ever changing and inconsistent cityscapes and landscapes, sat nav maps seem to get out of date almost as soon as they come out into the market!
	() Thanks

27th August 2010, 23:04	#33
NetfreakBombay Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Bombay Posts: 1,478 Thanked: 1,074 Times	Yes, GPS maps are not accurate at this point. However, they have coma long way in last couple of years. With global players (E.g. Navteq) opening shop in India we should have good maps for highways in a year or two.
	() Thanks

29th August 2010, 17:20	#34
Ravich BHPian Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Bombay Posts: 207 Thanked: 76 Times	Tomtom XL 2 IQ routes edition for UK travel If any of you plan to drive in Europe especially UK , TomTom seems like a very good choice. Bought this yesterday for driving around in and around Cambridge, for 159 GBP . Very easy to use and precise. The speed camera alerts are very useful too. A comparably priced Garmin , in the shop comparison test , would not recognize my address in Cambridge while the TomTom brought it up instantly in a drop down list. While this may not be a good test, it met my needs and the TomTom has proved to be very accurate in driving around here.
	() Thanks

29th August 2010, 19:56	#35
NetfreakBombay Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Bombay Posts: 1,478 Thanked: 1,074 Times	I used Tomtom in one of the rental cars and its indeed pretty good. Only downside is, if you plan to bring it back to India. Its tough to find Indian maps for it.
	() Thanks

1st September 2010, 11:18	#36
shankar.balan Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 11,407 Thanked: 23,723 Times View My Garage	Ravich - yes I agree TomTom is superb indeed. It is easily the best there is as of now - at least in the UK and Europe. Unfortunately we dont have India maps compatible with TomTom yet. My experience with Garmin was that I was able to find the addresses very easily in the UK. This could have been on account of the excellent post code mapping system that they have.
	() Thanks

1st September 2010, 12:24	#37
sgiitk Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Gurugram Posts: 7,971 Thanked: 4,796 Times	There is a huge overlap with SatNav Vs Mapmyindia . Maybe the mods can consider merging the two.
	() Thanks

1st September 2010, 17:54	#38
NetfreakBombay Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Bombay Posts: 1,478 Thanked: 1,074 Times	It would be better to create a "GPS" sub-category in Parts And Accessories section and move all these threads there.
	() Thanks

15th May 2011, 18:57	#39
dhanushmenon Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: KL-2/KL-7/GA-06 Posts: 1,110 Thanked: 4,353 Times	Re: GPS - Is a navigator a worthwhile buy? very true. I join hands with NetfreakBombay. A dedicated sub category will help a lot of enthusiasts who are running helter skelter doing searches in the broader spectrum of things. Hope Moderators will do the needful. Cheers
	() Thanks